Lives of Misfortune
by SteelLark
Summary: My ideas of Zira, Chumvi, Mheetu and a few other characters lives before they are introduced into my story The True Prince Kopa.
1. Life of Hate

**This is a side story, ment to coincide with my True Prince Kopa story. This story will be around 10 chapters before it links up to The True Prince Kopa**

**0o0o0o0o0**

Taka nuzzled the quite body.  
"Amani." He whispered an edge of panic in his voice as he looked down at the body of his mate. Her pale tawny pelt was dull. Blood soaked into the caves floor.  
"My darling, my love." His voice broke. "You can't do this to me, my love." He whispered in a horse voice, the normal silk of his voice gone completely. He lifted his head and roared, it was loud and filled with pain. Amani had been his everything. She supported him and loved him like no one else. He loved her so much. His head dropped down in defeat.  
"Taka!" Mufasa stood at the entrance of the cave panting, "I found Rafiki." He gasped as he saw Amani on the floor of the cave still. Mufasa stumbled over to his old friend. As he reached out a paw to touch Amani, a low growl stopped him.  
"How dare you." Taka growled deep low. "You let my mate die."  
"Wah-" Musafa was taken aback.  
"You could help me the one time I needed you!" Taka roared.  
"But-" Mufasa started.  
"Taka." The deep voice came from Ahadi,"Know your place." The order was powerful. But Taka ignored it.  
"You weren't fast enough. What kind of King are-" Taka was cut off quickly as Ahadi lashed out a clawed paw and ripped it across his face. Taka was slammed to the floor with the force of the blow.  
"Your mate was sick and you knew it. Nothing could have saved her. Do not blame Mufasa for your faults and ignorance." Ahadi roared at the beaten lion. Ahadi turned and whisked out of the cave "Uru." He commanded his mate to follow him. She hesitated knowing that her son needed her but she followed he mate.  
"Taka." Mufasa hesitated.  
"Leave." Taka said, his voice was hollow and cold.  
Mufasa was shocked as he left the cave, Sarabi pressed to Mufasa's side to steady him.  
"I wasn't fast enough." Mufasa said the torment etched in his being. "I fail him, I failed Amani.".  
"Don't say that" Sarabi pressed to his side in comfort. "You did your best. And that's all that matters. No one could have asked for any more."  
"But I needed to be able to do more. If I ran faster or-"  
"Mufasa." Sarabi looked up to he mate with complete honesty in here voice "All anyone could ever ask for is your best. You only have room to improve."  
Mufasa ducked his head and pressed close to Sarabi "I will be better."

Taka was back over to his mate. He pressed his head to his mate's and he heard a squeak. He paused and heard it again. A shrill little cry. He looked around to see the one small cub of his mate that he had thought was a still born, wailing for him. He couldn't help but to smile as the little girl wailed seeming to be angry. She had a tanish pelt with a brown stripe that ran along her back. He bent down and licked the little cub clean, ignoring the burning feeling of the scar on his face.  
"My little Zira," he tested the name on the cub " this world is a hard place but you must be strong." He advised the cub.

And so the two brothers paths split. Mufasa strived at every moment to be the best he could be. Always trying to be his best. To do what was right and became a King. And Taka took a darker path. He let his sadness turn into hate. His hate for his family grew larger with every passing day. Turning him into the dark and sinister Scar.

**-Author's Note-**

**Why may you ask is Scar Zira's father, I'll give you 2 key reasons.**

**1. It is easy to tell that Zira is much younger than the rest of Mufasa's Generation but older than Simba's.**

**2. She has the same ears as scar along with some other basic features (ie eyes, noes, face)**

**Anyways funny enough before I posted this I realized that every time I ment to write Mufasa I wrote Simba, so I had to go back to change every Simba to Mufasa.**

**I hope you like it ;)**

**Lark out (｀****_´)ゞ **


	2. Life of Pain Part 1

Life of Pain

**Mheetu**

Mheetu sat in the dark absolutely silent and still. He was a cub and would have much rather be playing but it was safer to stay still. He had been told to stay hidden and safe. So he did. He had been told that very bad things happened to little cubs that went outside. So he lived in a little cave. There was a big evil monster that ripped up all the cubs that went outside so he had to stay in. He had seen the monsters once when he was very little, during the time when he had lived outside with his mother and sister. He was playing with his older friends when a group of the monsters attacked. They took Kula and ripped her up. So Mom and Nala had hid him away. They took him to a cave that was small and damp and far away from all the monsters. He never would have even thought to go outside. But that was before. Now was different. His Mom and sister hadn't come yesterday. He was hungry and thirsty. The pain of an empty stomach clawed away at his insides. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter trying to ignore the feeling. But he was fighting a loosing battle. He whimpered softly and was cut off by a sound outside. His eyes flew open and he quickly pressed a paw over his muzzle. He held his breath and waited. The next sound was closer and more defanent. It was the soft crunch and swish of someone in the grass outside. Mheetu shrunk back farther, pressing his body painfully close to the cave wall. The sound changed into a soft patter as the being entered the cave.

"Mheetu?" A soft voice asked.

Mheetu almost cried in relief. He raced out to the entrance of the cave and hugged his big sister. He laced his arms around her neck and buried his face into her fur.

"Why didn't you come yesterday? I was so scared. I thought the monsters got you." He cried silently.

"I'm so sorry Mheetu."

Something in her voice made Mheetu look up. For the first time Mheetu really looked hard at his sister. Her eyes where wet with tears and her rips pressed out softly against her sides.

"Nala? What's wrong." He asked his voice wavering.

Nala shook her head dispelling his question. "It's nothing. We just need to go."

"To go? Go where? Is Mom gonna be there." He asked tilting his head.

"No. Mom can't come." She said that slowly as if hiding something in the words. "It's just going to be me and you. Okay?" She added with a big smile.

Mheetu eyed his sister warily but the smile reassured him. "Ok." He said smiling back.

Nala turned to head out of the cave and Mheetu shrank back. Nala noticed and turned back to see the look of horror on the cubs face.

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't think you meant now!" The cub squeaked, "It's to bright!"

After many long months in the cave Mheetu was not suited for the outdoors. He had stayed in the cave 5 out of the 6 months of his life causing his pelt to pale to a light cream and his eyes to become a ghostly blue and diluted. If he traveled outside in daylight the sun would scorch his eyes.

Nala took this into consideration and replied.

"Just close your eyes till nighttime. We can't stay here any longer."

Mheetu knitted his forehead in quick scrutiny before closing his eyes trustingly.

"Ok. Lets go." Nala hurriedly nudged her brother into place at her flank so she could guide him and lead the way out of the cave.

Mheetu always loved going outside. He felt the hot sun on his back and the hard dry grass under his feet. He would have stopped to enjoy all the smells and feelings but Nala was leading him away to fast. He stumbled into a jog next to Nala as she lead him blindly through the grass. He tried to keep up with his sister but he was going to fast then she slipped away from his side. Out of reach he wired around in a panic tring to find Nala thought the darkness.

"Nala?" He cried.

"Come on! Let's go." She called distantly.

Mheetu ran to the sound and felt a flare of white hot pain from his paw just seconds before he crashed into the ground. He opened his eyes as he screamed only to cry out louder when the light ripped at his eyes.

"Oh no! Mheetu what are you doing!" Nala gasped. Rushing over.

"My paw." Mheetu weeped

**Nala**

Nala bent over the cub to take a look at the problem. It wasn't that hard to find, the offending paw had been twisted by a random hole in the cubs path. Now Mheetu was crying in a little heap. She didn't have time for this. There was only a short break between the hyena's patrols and the sound of Mheetu's cry would have directed the next patrol right to them. The border was just a little ways away. They where to close to stop now.

"It's nothing." Nala commented nonsalantly, "Come on." But the cub made no move to rise.

She grabbed Mheetu by the scruff of his neck and settled him back down on his feet. But as soon as she released her hold Mheetu screeched and crumpled back to the ground. Nala looked up. She already knew that the hyenas where there. Mheetu's cries made sure of that. She was just looking to see how much time they had left. By the look of thing it wasn't much. There was a pack of four looping towards them tongues lolling and eyes wild. They where way too close. She looked back to her fallen brother.

"Come on Mheetu! We HAVE to go!" She pleaded as she nudged and pulled at his body. She would have picked him up but he was just to big to run with.

Mheetu looked up at her with scared pale eyes, "I CAN'T!" He wailed.

Nala looked down at him in pure horror. What was she supposed to do. She needed time to think. But she couldn't. That was not one of the options. She could ether run now or risk everything and stay to fight. The price to pay for defying scar was high. She couldn't make this choice. But she had to. She had to choose. She had to get help. She was the only one who could.

She took a step back.

She saw Mheetu's eye's widen. He knew exactly what she was doing.

"No! Nala please!" He whimpered. Trying to raise his body.

Nala closed her eyes. She couldn't. She took another step.

"Nala!"

One step became two. Then three. She turned wishing with all her might that she could close her ears.

"NALA! COME BACK! NO!" The wails came streaming out from behind her.

She was doing it for the pride. They needed her to make it out. She quickened her pace sprinting away from it all.

"NAL-" The cry was cut short by the deafening screech of pain that came next.

She almost turned around. She almost went back to her little brother. She almost abandoned the thought that there was someone out there that would help them. Almost.

**Mheetu**

He watched as his sister the only lifeline he had took a few steps away from him. A small sad glint of resolve in her blue-green eyes. No. She couldn't. No. No. She wouldn't. She couldn't.

"No!" He cried in a tiny cry. "Nala please." He tried to get up. Lifting up first on one paw but his body betrayed him sending him crashing back to the ground with a new wave of pain.

He watched as Nala turned on him racing away. He fooled himself for the briefest of moments that Nala was going to get help. But then he heard the crunching of grass and an insane yipping laughter. The monsters. They where coming for him. He should have never left the cave.

"Nala!" He screamed all his might. The crashing grew louder and Nala grew smaller.

"NALA!" Help me. "COME BACK!" Don't do this. "NO!" Why? Why is this happening?

Mheetu heard the breaths of the monsters and they raced towards him. They where to close. Way to close. Each breath was a gale. Every step a clap of thunder. Every second filled with the pounding of a panicked heart.

"NAL-" He tried once more but the monsters where on him now. They writhed around his body as they jerked and pilled every inch of his body. He felt it all. Every bruising stab of fang and every searing moment where his skin ripped. But through it all his eyes fixed on the vanishing shape of his sister. And all he could think was the pain on the inside was so much worse than what was happening on the outside. He detachedly wondered if each drop of his blood let out a little bit of is inside pain. He wondered how they could still be killing him if he was already dead on the inside.

**-Author's Note-**

**Ok. Half-way done! I'm really proud of this chapter despite what hell it gave me while writing it. Stay tuned for Part 2. **

**Lark Out. (｀****_´)ゞ**


	3. Life of Bitter Sweet

**Rabbit**

They had yet to reach the hunting grounds and where making slow progress due to the water, that in this part of the plains lapped softly at the party's bellies.  
Seeing as how Rabbit was the best at hunting in the rainy season she was the hunting parties leader.  
In the small group Rabbit had taken lead, moving swiftly through the water and reeds without splashing. Just behind her Ray wadded swiftly looking like a big black mamba now that her dark fur was soaked through. Kari and Em where just behind Ray flanking the small group. They didn't speak as they moved just silently conversed through the slightest flicker of their eyes or a tilt of the head. They had been hunting together in the pride for over two years and they all knew each other well. The only odd part of the group was Nuka. He was only there to protect the group and like all the other lions had no clue how to stay completely quiet. When there was yet another small splash from Nuka's direction Rabbit wished for the hundredth time that Kusudi had come instead. Out of all the lions Kusudi was the best on hunting parties. He could stay quiet, make the lioness's feel safe and could even help catch the kill. All of that added to Kusudi in general had him on every lioness's good side. She sighed and turned back to the group.  
"Okay guys, the herds are still pretty far off but we are going to start to position now. Em I want you on the far side of the herd and I'll take the close. We're going to circle them and lead them to Ray and Kari so the can make the kill."  
The others nodded in agreement and the group split up. They moved quickly as the ground beneath them got firmer  
And the water sloshed just over their paws. But suddenly there was shift in the air. Rabbit stopped instantly her eyes wide as she looked for the source of the odd smell. She was about to turn around and call the other lionesses to retreat when the very air around her broke.  
The crack was deafening and then she felt a terrible pain rip into her chest. She screamed. Not caring about the hunt as her awareness slimed and all she felt was the pain. She spun around trying to find what had bit into her flesh. A snake? Was there a sharp stick that had pierced her. There was another crack and the force blew Rabbit off balance. She crashed to the ground crying out in pain as she scraped her paws across the ground trying to drag herself away from her attackers. She flailed painfully as her blood gushed out into the shallow water around her turning the water red. It was all to soon before she couldn't use her legs any more instead she a gasped like a fish out of water, mouth open wide but no receiving enough air. It was at this fatal moment when her mind started to wonder.  
Rabbit.  
Her mother had called her that. She didn't know why that is what she thought of when the blood lost was getting to great to bare, but she did. She thought back to her early months of life. She had her mother who was now a only a faint memory of honey fur and a soft voice. Then there was her sister. She was older than Rabbit had been and hadn't like her till Rabbit had been able to catch her share of prey for the small group. She remembered the first time her big sister, Snake, had smiled at her. It wasn't a big smile but it wasn't forced either it was a little half smile just showing the barest hint of teeth. That was all she remembered about Snake. She wished she had remembered more, if anything just a few more snippets of happy times with her family but she knew they didn't exist. Her cub hood was not a happy time. She remembered feeling the hunger, the pain of hunting for days straight. All for the kings. She remembered there had been two of them, Eagle and Rhino, they where big and bad, they would hit them for no reason and Rhino had killed her mother. After that Snake left with another lioness. That left Rabbit alone with two other lionesses and the two kings. And she grew up there. Eagle was the king who claimed her. She had to stay by his side and hunt for him. It was at Eagle's side she learned to smile. Eagle had always been the king she suspected to be her father and after her mother had died Eagle had kept her from Rhino. It wasn't like Eagle was nice but he was better than Rhino and it made all the difference. The thing that made her smile was Eagle's small acts of kindness. He would never finish whatever she took down, always leaving some for her no matter how small the kill was. A small act of kindness in a world of cruelty was all it took.  
So as her life ended Rabbit reflected on every smile she had ever passed over her lips from the first one she had ever had to Eagle and her last to Kusudi that very morning. A smile appeared on her face once more as she looked death in the face. She giggled lightly.  
"Well… bye you guys."

**-Author's Note-**

**So sorry you guys. Rabbit was a wonderful character. I teared up at that last part.**

**I leave you with one question. What do smiles mean to you?**


End file.
